Sentio Partners has advised the management team on the MBO of Yorkshire recruitment firm GatenbySanderson, with backing from private equity firm Primary Capital. The MBO, for an undisclosed sum from founder Graham Goodwin, will see joint managing partners, Mark Turner and Martin Tucker, continue to lead the business, supported by the existing board members Helen Oates, David Kemsley and Sam Ellis.
GatenbySanderson, launched in 2002, employs a team of more than 90 people based in Leeds, London and Birmingham. Martin Tucker said: “As a market-leading business that has grown significantly in the last few years, we are delighted to complete this deal and have the opportunity to realise further expansion, be that greater sector depth, broader public services coverage or rolling out new products as part of our technology-led innovation. We are incredibly fortunate, across the business, in having a very talented team with a heartfelt desire to grow faster and further. This deal puts that ambition directly into our own hands and we intend to make the most of it. Finding new talent is our first priority.”
The deal was led and structured by Alistair Armstrong and Oliver Melliss at Primary, who both join the GatenbySanderson board as non-executive directors. Alistair Armstrong said: “GatenbySanderson is an excellent example of a truly differentiated executive resourcing firm. The business’s relentless focus on quality, its strong team-driven culture and impressive proprietary technology produce consistently outstanding results for its clients. Management have identified some compelling areas for further investment and innovation and we very much look forward to working with them to help the business achieve its ambitious growth plans”. Mark Turner added: “We have a very clear plan of our future direction and we will remain committed to public services. Above all, we will stay focused on what we do best, which is identifying and delivering top talent where it’s needed most.”
A Sentio team of Andy Miller and Ian Marwood provided the advice and support to senior management.
